As part of its proactive approach to safety and emergency preparedness, All Chemical Transport led a joint hazardous materials drill alongside multiple regional emergency response teams at its Lakewood, New Jersey facility April 2025. The drill brought together the Lakewood Fire Department, Lakewood EMS, Berkeley Hazmat Team, and Point Pleasant Fire Department for a coordinated response to a simulated chemical spill.
The scenario, conducted during the evening to mirror a real-time HAZMAT emergency, involved a damaged ISO container leaking a simulated flammable substance. All Chemical Transport prepared the container by filling it with 2,000 gallons of water and placarding it as ethanol to create a realistic training environment. The unit was configured to leak from the valve, challenging response teams to quickly assess and mitigate the hazard.
“It is drills and exercises like this that allow our members to gain the valuable training and insight so they can better position themselves to operate effectively as a team to mitigate any emergency while safeguarding the lives of all affected and protecting the environment,” said Lakewood Fire Department Chief Jonathan Yahr.
Lakewood and Berkeley Hazmat teams worked together throughout the drill, gaining firsthand knowledge of each other’s equipment and operating styles. Lakewood EMS oversaw medical monitoring, while Point Pleasant Fire Department managed decontamination efforts. Teams conducted air monitoring, evacuation planning, hazard research, and leak mitigation, all under a unified incident command structure.
All Chemical Transport played a key role in both planning and executing the simulation. Don Wrege, Director of Safety and Maintenance, coordinated the simulation with the Lakewood Fire Department Chief and led All Chemical Transport’s internal efforts alongside colleagues Gerard Madonna, driver trainer and Bill Ranson, yard supervisor. The goal was to not only support emergency responders but also test All Chemical Transport’s own protocols and response capabilities in a collaborative setting.
“This was an excellent opportunity for us to evaluate how a nighttime emergency might unfold and understand how our site conditions would impact first responder operations,” said Don Wrege. “We’re proud to support this level of training and will use the experience to review our own readiness.” All Chemical Transport and these emergency service departments are committed to safety, preparedness, and collaboration with each other to ensure the protection of personnel, the community, and the environment.
See the teams in action with the images below.
